Review – Faster Than Light #10 (Image Comics)

Publisher: Image Comics (Shadowline Imprint)
Story and Art: Brian Haberlin
Colors: Dan Kemp
Release Date: 7th September 2016

I missed last month’s FTL dose thanks to a number of things, so I was really looking forward to this month.

It did not disappoint.

One of the great things about this series is how matter of fact-ly the crew deal with strange situations, they call it out on the weirdness, then roll up their sleeves and get on with it. They never spend time retreading old stuff unless it serves a greater purpose. In this issue they end up being stuck next to a black hole. The crew panic briefly then get on with trying to solve the problem, the captain even prepares a final statement and includes how the crew should be commended on their determination despite over whelming odds.

Haberlin also knows how to pace a story; a key thing I find missing in TV shows and in a lot of the output from the big name comic publishers. There are ebbs and flows in the story, but the transition between them is so smooth you never really notice. Even during high paced action scenes, you never feel rushed.

This series really reminds me of Star Trek, back when my parents and I used to watch it. There is an individual story in every episode but they all add up to one massive voyage.

To be honest, this is better than Star Trek! If the new series is half as good as this comic, then it would be a smash hit. Anyone wishing to do a semi-realistic sci-fi story in any medium should look at Faster Than Light as a blueprint on how to do it perfectly.

The good news is that the first collected edition is now out so there’s no better time to jump into this amazing series.

Rating: 4/5.

PREVIEW ARTWORK
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